This study examines school evaluation policy and practice in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland and seeks to articulate how the education community can respond to finding a balance between school self-evaluation and inspection as a moral and social discourse for quality in education. The author presents a review of the literature on the varying concepts of quality in education and how these complementary and at times contradictory concepts of quality have managed to influence the school evaluation frameworks of most countries. Using an extended version of Nevo’s (1995) dialogue model of evaluation, the author examines the challenges of trying to find a balance between school self-evaluation and inspection. Finally, an analysis of the systems of school evaluation in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland is described. The author utilised a concurrent multi-phase mixed methods strategy that consisted of an all island survey of every school principal in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. Semi-structured interviews were also carried out with a sample of school principals and inspectors in order to elucidate further the questionnaire responses and recommendations for improvement. Findings suggest that, although there are many similarities between the systems of school evaluation in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland; there are also differences in terms of how to ensure that evaluation is used as both a benchmark and promoter for quality in education.